Young master, why not become a corpse immortal?

Chapter 246 Treasure House
Heading south along the road, colorful lanterns were hung along the roadside, their dim yellow light illuminating the nearby streets.

The small houses were lit only by a few windows facing the street. Through the curtains, one could vaguely see shadows moving about inside. Some people were eating, some were chatting, and some were studying diligently by the light.

The walls of wealthy families were long, and apart from the high-rise buildings against the walls, the windows on the outside were almost invisible. The only exception was that two red lanterns would be hung at the main gate.

This is called "borrowing good fortune," which involves spreading the joy of one's home to light the way for passersby, thus accumulating good karma and virtue.

And some interesting things have come up about this lantern.

If a household that usually hangs only one lantern suddenly hangs two, the neighbors will say that the homeowner has done something wrong and wants to use the lanterns to wash away their sins.

However, these are ultimately just idle gossips without any factual basis. On the contrary, the lanterns hanging from house to house create a unique atmosphere in the alleys of the capital.

The phrase "a hundred lights in a hundred homes" roughly describes this scene.

Lin Jiang walked quickly, the lamplight illuminating his shoulders, his figure shifting and changing, and soon he arrived at the south of the city.

Standing in the middle of the street and looking around, all I could see was the bustling activity of the market.

Shops along the road remained open, displaying signs for "fragrant tea" or "sesame cakes" to attract passersby. The aroma of tea wafted through the air, rising into the night sky and meeting the moonlight.

In the distance, a sign reading "Deshengfang" hangs at the entrance of a deep alley, where the clattering of gamblers' dice rings echoes. Further away, a brightly lit high-rise building stands with a gilded plaque bearing the words "Xiangpeng" (Elephant Shed), and figures move about in front of its entrance.

Beside the open-air stage, the sounds of sheng, guan, di, and xiao resonated, and the singers moved gracefully, their pearls and jade gleaming as their flowing dresses swayed.

Lin Jiang originally wanted to find a waiter, but after looking around several times, he couldn't find any trace of the Ghost Market, only a bustling scene of human activity. He was about to go into the deep alley when his gaze was drawn to the elephant stall.

After taking a couple of glances, I felt it wouldn't work.

Lin Jiang, Lin Jiang, you're here on important business, why are you staring at that brothel?
Aren't there so many beautiful and alluring women inside your inner palace?

Lin Jiang couldn't help but picture the beautiful girls piloting the golden eagles, and the silly, goofy smiles on their faces.

His lips twitched slightly twice, and he finally sighed.

Go ahead and watch, it won't affect anything if you only watch for a short while.

As I was gazing intently, I suddenly heard a soft cough behind me.

I instinctively turned around and found a familiar figure standing behind me.

Jiang Jinyue looked at Lin Jiang with a strange expression.

Lin Jiang was a little embarrassed.

"Does the young master intend to listen to music tonight?"

"No, I'm looking for the Ghost Market."

"Why are you interested in the ghost market, young master?"

"Under normal circumstances, I would probably reply that I've been to the capital for a long time but haven't been to the Ghost Market yet, and I'm planning to see what it's like. But since it's you, I'll be frank. I want to go to the Treasure Vault."

"If it weren't for me, would you still be saying this?"

"That's natural."

"Smooth-talking," Jiang Jinyue spat to the side.

If a normal girl were to do this, Lin Jiang could probably see some feminine grace in it. But if Jiang Jinyue were to do it, Lin Jiang would only feel that it was like a brother from a university dormitory.

After Jiang Jinyue finished spitting at Lin Jiang, she said:
"The Ghost Market is not a place you can just enter. Even if an ordinary person isn't harmed by the waiters, the Yin energy there is something most people can't withstand. To enter the Ghost Market, you have to find a special entrance and go through it. The same applies to the Treasure Vault."

Lin Jiang just looked at her.

Jiang Jinyue sighed helplessly:
"Alright, I'll take you there."

Lin Jiang then smiled.

Jiang Jinyue led the way, and Lin Jiang followed. Along the way, Lin Jiang asked:
Are you planning to stroll around here tonight?

"What? You're not allowed?"

"No, I think it's a good thing. After all, you're always so tense. It would be great if you could get some rest."

"Unfortunately, I'm here to patrol the streets tonight," Jiang Jinyue sighed helplessly.

"...Has the master left?"

"I came to patrol the streets because she didn't leave."

Lin Jiang's words caught in his throat, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Jiang Jinyue noticed Lin Jiang's expression, but simply chuckled and shook her head.

"However, it was precisely because Lord Li did not leave that I was spared some trouble."

"The matter of the Dali Temple?" Lin Jiang realized.

“After we went to the town to investigate the case together last time, several senior officials from the Dali Temple started to keep an eye on me. They would ask me questions from time to time. After I made excuses at the temple, they would go to my house to look for me.”

At this point, Jiang Jinyue couldn't help but reveal a slightly amused smile.

She didn't continue, but Lin Jiang already knew what was going to happen next.

I imagine the expressions of those from the Dali Temple must have been quite complex when they opened the door and saw Li Xinguang.

"Doesn't Gao Qing have any reaction?"

“Gao Qing is not at the Dali Temple recently.” Jiang Jinyue said, “It seems the palace needs him for something, but I don’t know the specifics. In short, he’s not here recently.”

When Jiang Jinyue spoke of Gao Qing, her tone was still somber, but she suppressed her distracting thoughts and led Lin Jiang forward.

The two walked around a long street to its end, where Lin Jiang spotted a waiter.

A burly man stood at the door, with a long table in front of him. On the table was a register, and an inkstone and pen were on one side.

He was dressed in a black official's robe, with jet-black sideburns and a slightly flat nose, resembling a wild boar spirit.

After seeing Jiang Jinyue, he snorted, said nothing, and pointed to the books on the table.

Jiang Jinyue led Lin Jiang over, and the two wrote their names in the register. The gate next to them slowly opened.

Upon entering, Lin Jiang heard a commotion.

He looked up and found himself in a completely different place.

People of all kinds walked along the street, and Lin Jiang saw many waiters compared to before.

There are creatures with animal heads and human bodies, semi-transparent bodies, those walking with their heads in their hands, as well as those dressed as Taoist priests, noblemen, and monks with bald heads.

At a glance, there was a diverse array of people. Lin Jiang clicked his tongue in amazement.

The monks, Taoists, and demons who were sworn enemies in the stories coexist harmoniously here; such a scene can probably only be seen in the capital. "When the capital first implemented the 'hall-servant' system, some monks and Taoists did oppose it, but they were no match for the capital and gradually accepted their fate. Over time, the new monks and Taoists have lost the faults of the older generation. Now, if they see a demon and it hurts or kills someone, they will naturally take action; if it doesn't hurt anyone, they will ask for the 'hall-servant's' certificate."

Lin Jiang had heard Jiang Jinyue mention this matter before, but hearing about it was nothing compared to seeing it for himself.

However, Lin Jiang still couldn't help but ask at this moment:

Where is the treasure vault?

“A treasure trove,” Jiang Jinyue said. “Take seven or eight steps forward.”

"Is that so?" Lin Jiang asked, taking a few steps forward in confusion.

Jiang Jinyue nodded: "You are already in the treasure trove."

Lin Jiang: "?"

He subconsciously took a step back, and Jiang Jinyue said, "You've left the treasure vault."

Lin Jiang looked around blankly and saw a long white line etched on the ground where he had just passed.

There is nothing else unusual.

The streets were bustling with people, and no one paid any attention to this line.

"That's it?"

“In the past, the Treasure Vault did have a conspicuous boundary, but during the twelve years of internal strife, the people of the capital considered themselves superior to the people of the Treasure Vault, which caused unrest. The Dharma Ancestor personally came and smashed the boundary markers, and since then, there has been no distinction between inside and outside the Treasure Vault Ghost Market.” Jiang Jinyue walked to the side of the line and gently brushed it with her toe.

Although he only spoke a few words, Lin Jiang still glimpsed the difficulties that led to the establishment of the place back then.

No territory can be built in a day, just as a city's bricks and tiles require constant repair over time, so too do the inhabitants.

"We've arrived. What are you planning to do next?"

Jiang Jinyue then asked Lin Jiang.

Lin Jiang remained silent.

"What did you find?"

"I'm looking for a shop."

Lin Jiang thought for a moment and realized that he really didn't have any clues. He thought it would be better to ask Jiang Jinyue, who was patrolling the streets here. Maybe she knew something.
"That shop is probably where the Third Prince and his men gather."

The one who performed the soul-splitting ritual was the Grand Secretary, who belonged to the civil officials faction. Therefore, the young man standing next to the coffin that Linjiang saw at that time should have been the Third Prince.

"The place you're looking for doesn't sound like it's easy to find," Jiang Jinyue muttered, pressing her head to think for a moment.
"If you insist on knowing the exact location, I certainly don't know. But occasionally, some powerful and influential people from the capital do come to this area. They usually arrive by carriage, and no one knows where they go."

"Approximately where is it located?"

"I'll take you there."

Jiang Jinyue simply pulled Lin Jiang across several streets.

When they arrived at the depths of the alleyway formed by the houses, Jiang Jinyue pulled Lin Jiang to a shop.

This is a shop run by a man with a tiger's head on his head. It mainly sells roasted meat, but unlike the roasted meat commonly found in Daxing, the meat here is simply placed on a fire and grilled briefly.

It didn't even feel as well-prepared as the one Lin Jiang had seen in his previous life.

But this dish was very popular with the surrounding waiters, and people kept coming here.

Jiang Jinyue naturally didn't like this kind of food, so she ordered a drink from the tiger head vendor and then pointed to the street behind them.

"A car passes by here roughly every three or five days. I don't know if tonight is the day they gather."

"We can wait and see."

Lin Jiang directly asked Tiger Head for a whole piece of roasted meat. Tiger Head glanced at Lin Jiang, but then used less force when putting it off the fire.

The food served last on the tray was clearly more familiar to the waiters than what they were eating.

Lin Jiang gave him some silver and ate it in small pieces.

The meat is of good quality and very fragrant; even with just a little salt, it tastes excellent.

"What exactly did you find out?"

"I need to handle this on my own."

"So mysterious." Jiang Jinyue finished her drink and muttered as she took out a bamboo-shaped object: "This is Cloud-Walking Bamboo. When you encounter a problem that you can't solve, light it and it will burst into the sky. I will arrive as soon as I see it."

"Thank you." Lin Jiang solemnly put the bamboo tube into his pocket.

After waiting for a while, Lin Jiang suddenly heard the sound of rolling wheels coming from the end of the street. He turned his head and saw a bustling car heading towards the depths of the alley.

coming!

The vehicle wasn't moving fast, and Lin Jiang didn't follow immediately. He waited until he had some distance between them before starting to walk.

After taking a few steps, Lin Jiang suddenly stopped:
"Captain Jiang."

“Young Master Lin…”

"I may leave Beijing in a few days."

"Where?"

"First, I'll go to Qingniwa to take care of some business. After that, I'll probably travel around the world."

Jiang Jinyue's complexion remained unchanged.
"Will it take a long time to walk?"

"If things go smoothly tonight, I may return to the capital."

"Saying strange things again." Jiang Jinyue shook her head helplessly. Lin Jiang waved again and continued walking.

Jiang Jinyue watched his retreating figure, raised her hand as if to speak, but after a moment of hesitation, she finally uttered a soft whisper:

"Bon Voyage."

Amidst the clamor of voices, these words drifted into Lin Jiang's ears.

When he turned around, Jiang Jinyue was already gone.

I wonder if this blessing is for tonight, or for comforting those in the martial world.

Looking at the carriage again, the leisurely carriage had traveled a safe distance. Lin Jiang found a secluded corner, held the round pill in both hands, and ate the Hua Wanxiang.

The next moment, his body transformed into a flying insect, quickly rushing towards the carriage and sticking to it.

(End of this chapter)